


It Gets Worse Before it Gets Better

by WiseGirlEverdeen



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: All of them should, Also read the tags, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Beheaded Cousins, But mostly angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Henry should go burn in hell, Hurt/Comfort, I don’t really know how to tag, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, It’s a wild ride and you need to know what you’re getting into, I’m not British, Kitty and Anne-centric, Kitty is my lil bean, TW for sexual assault, When I say all of them I mean anyone who has ever hurt Kitty or Anne or any of the other queens, angst angst angst, anne gets hurt too, anne is the best older cousin ever, badly written fluff and angst, i try not to make it too graphic, im sorry if this sucks, kitty gets hurt, so I might not get some of the slang, there are some inaccuracies, trigger warnings apply, tw for abuse, why am I doing this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23866918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiseGirlEverdeen/pseuds/WiseGirlEverdeen
Summary: At twelve years old, Anne Boleyn was forced to leave behind everything she knows. She moves in with her younger cousin Katherine and they form an unbreakable bond. They know that as long as they have each other, the can overcome whatever obstacles life will throw at them. They learn that life is often unpredictable- things don’t always work out the way you want them to. They know that it will get better. Someday.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn & Katherine Howard, Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr, Katherine Howard & all the queens, anne Boleyn & all the queens
Comments: 44
Kudos: 134





	1. Nice to meet you

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first fan fiction on the archive and for this fandom, I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Honestly the idea for this fic was just Anne singing some French lullabies to Kit and it transformed into this, I’m kinda proud of it. I also wrote a part of it in French but didn’t translate it, except the paragraph after that kind of sums up what went on in that interaction. Sorry if it inconveniences anyone... 
> 
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated!

Anne Boleyn was home alone. Her parents and siblings had gone to run errands and the twelve-year-old was patiently waiting for their return, busying herself by reading a book. Suddenly, she heard a knock at her door. Opening it, she was met face-to-face with a policeman. 

_“Êtes-vous Anne Boleyn?”_

_“Oui…”_ she replied, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach.

_“Je regrette de vous informer que vos parents, votre frère et votre sœur sont décédés. Leur auto est entré en collision avec un camion quand ils étaient stationnés à une lumière rouge. Un travailleur social va venir vous chercher bientôt, prenez ce dont vous voulez apporter avec vous. Vous avez un oncle en Angleterre qui va s’occuper de vous. Vous partez pour Londres demain.”_

_“Quoi?”_

_“Je sais que c’est beaucoup d’information tout d’un coup; si il y a quelque chose que je peux faire pour vous, n’hésitez pas.”_

_“N-non. C’est correct. Merci. Passez une bonne journée monsieur.”_

Anne closed the door and slid against it. She couldn’t believe it. Her parents were dead. Her siblings too. And now she was moving to London with an uncle she barely knew? Sure, she had heard of them and seen pictures but they had never actually met. A social worker was going to be there soon. _I’d better start packing,_ she thought, taking about as much as she could with her.

By the time she was finished, the social worker had arrived. She explained to Anne exactly what would happen to her and to her house. She was told to pack as much as she can (which she had already done) and that it would be sent off to England today. She was going to be able to bring a little more with her on the plane the next day.

The next day and a half were all a blur. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of a house, somewhere in London, with four people waiting for her on the front steps. 

“Hello Anne, I’m Edmund. I’m sorry to hear about what happened, my deepest condolences. These are your cousins, George, Charles and Katherine.”

George and Charles seemed to be about sixteen and seventeen. They shot her a friendly smile and waved. Katherine, on the other hand, was no more than eight. She was small for her age and barely waved at the older girl, instead opting to look up at Anne with wide eyes.

“Hi. Nice to meet you all,” she replied a little nervously.

“Likewise. Now, let’s get you settled in, shall we? Since we only have two rooms, you’ll be sharing yours with Katherine if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Just as she was putting the last of her things away, Katherine walked into the room.

“Hi Katherine,” Anne smiled.

“Can you call me Kitty? I prefer that but daddy doesn’t like it. He says it’s too childish.” She sounded hesitant to be making such a request, almost as if she was scared Anne would yell at her for it.

“I think Kitty is nice. So, what do you like to do?”

“I really like music, but I’m not allowed to see my music teacher anymore.” She didn’t elaborate and Anne didn’t press the matter, assuming she would talk about it if she wanted to.

“I like music too! I can play the piano but I’m not very good.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. I play the piano and I sing. Oh and my favourite colour is pink! What’s yours?”

“I like green.”

“Hmm. Green is a pretty colour.” She nodded, seemingly approving Anne’s choice.

“There’s a few things I should tell you about living here… maybe it’ll be different for you, but dad never pays any attention to me, only to the boys. Mum would give me more attention but she died two years ago. And we don’t really celebrate birthdays here… actually, this one kind of goes for me again. I really hope he doesn’t do the same to you, but just to be prepared… oh, and always be ready in time or else he will get mad. I think that’s it. Do you want to play with me?”

“Uh… yeah. Just a second.”

Anne processed what she had just heard. _It shows they’re related, all right,_ she thought. Everything Katherine described was exactly how her parents were. But Kitty seemed nice. If she had someone, they could get through it together.

As the days progressed, she kept thinking about what Katherine told her. She noticed how Edmund paid little to no attention to Katherine, instead focusing on his two sons. She saw the dejected look in Katherine’s face every time her father brushed her off and wished she could do something to help the poor young girl. Every time this happened, she would try to distract Kat and somehow cheer her up.

One year later, Anne was quietly reading a book on her bed when she heard shouting from downstairs. She didn’t think much of it until a tearful Katherine burst into the room. The pair had grown much closer over the past year. Thick as thieves, they were best friends, each other’s partners-in-crime.

“Whoa, Kitty. What happened?” she questioned, concerned.

“D-daddy won’t believe me. I told him what his friend did to me and he accused me of lying, just like with Mannox.”

“Pardon me, but what did his friend do? And who’s Mannox?”

“Henry Mannox was my music teacher. He touched me in ways I didn’t want to be touched but dad didn’t believe me. He made me stop going there because I was going to ruin his reputation. And now, Francis did the same thing. I tried to tell dad but he said I just wanted attention,” she sobbed.

This revelation had Anne shaking with anger. She couldn’t believe Edmund. She knew he wasn’t such a huge fan of Katherine but to go as far as not believing her when she claims she’s been sexually assaulted? That’s taking it too far. Anne was always one to speak her mind, but she’s held back ever since she arrived in London. But right now, her cousin needed her support more than anything.

“Kitty? There’s something my parents used to sing to me when I was sad. It’s been a while, but I think I can remember it. Would you like me to sing it to you? I think it can help calm you down.”

“Yes please.” Her voice was so small and broken, it made Anne’s eyes well up with tears. Katherine crawled into Anne’s lap and wrapped her arms around the older girl. She cleared her throat.

_“Fais dodo, Katherine ma petite sœur_

_Fais dodo, t’auras du lolo._

_Maman est en haut, Elle fait du gâteau._

_Papa est en bas, Il fait du chocolat._

_Fais dodo, Katherine ma petite sœur_

_Fais dodo,_ _t’auras du lolo…”_

She looked down to see Katherine curled up in her lap, fast asleep. She gently placed the younger girl back on her bed, pulling the blankets over her before going downstairs to confront Edmund.

“What the hell!?”

“Anne, what’s this about?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe about the fact that you don’t believe your daughter’s been sexually assaulted? Twice?”

“Oh, that.” He dismissed her with a wave.

“She’s lying. She only wants attention.”

“Well. First of all, lying about something this serious is a problem. If she were lying about this, and I’m not saying she is, _at all_ , I wonder why it would be? Do you ever pay her any attention? No! All your energy was focused on Charles and George. Now that George moved out, all you care about is Charles. Even then, you talk to him more than you talk to your daughter who lives in the same bloody house as you! How do you think she feels? Second of all, the fact that you don’t believe her just shows what kind of a person you are. And your attitude right now can lead to her getting hurt far worse in the future because she’ll finally get the approval and attention she craves. Think about what you’re doing. You’re ruining your daughter,” she spat, trying to keep her voice as low as possible to avoid waking Katherine up.

“How dare you talk to me that way after I’ve so graciously welcomed you into my home? And you have the audacity to tell me how to raise _my_ daughter after you’ve only known her for a year? You’re lucky I’m feeling generous, or else I would kick you out for talking to me like you have. Now go to your room and don’t come out until I say so!”

Anne turned on her heel, still fuming and stomped up the stairs. She reached her room and upon opening the door, noticed Katherine was awake again.

“What was that about?”

”I’m so sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry.” Katherine tried for a smile.

“I tried defending you, but he wouldn’t listen,” Anne sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, but thank you for trying. He never listens.”

“Either way, I wish I could’ve done more.”

Katherine pulled her in a tight hug. “Nonsense. You’ve done enough.”


	2. I Think it’s for the Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Katherine find themselves in a new place. Hopefully it’s for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY IM SO STUPID I FORGOT TO INCLUDE THE TRIGGER WARNINGS IN THE LAST CHAPTER I’ll be better from now on my promise.
> 
> Trigger Warnings in this chapter: none that I can think of but tell me if there’s something

Another year passed. Edmund only got more neglectful and he seemed to rely on Anne to take care of Katherine. Anne made sure they got food and clean clothes. Katherine was no pain, really, but she just wanted to live her life as a normal teenager for once. She finally got that chance on a sunny spring day, not long after her fourteenth birthday.

“Excuse me sir, but are you Edmund Howard?”

“...Yes, why?”

“I’m with social services. We have received multiple calls about a neglectful household and are here to take Katherine Howard and Anne Boleyn, both who have been under your care for quite some time now. They deserve a better home and we will give it to them. If you can call them down right now, I will explain the situation to them and they can leave as soon as possible.”

“There’s no way you’re taking my daughter away, not if I have anything to say about it.”

“I’m sorry, but the matter is out of your hands.”

“What’s happening?” questioned Anne, coming down the stairs with Katherine trailing behind her.

“You girls are going to need to pack as much as you can, we have found you a foster home that can hopefully give you both the attention you need.”

Anne felt a sense of relief course through her. But then she worried for Kat, her dear cousin, growing up without a father. This was probably the best option for both of them, provided they could stay together.

“We will be staying together, right?”

“Fortunately, we found a family who was willing to take you both in. I know this can be a lot to process, but it is for the best.”

“Alright, thank you. We’ll go pack up.” Anne tried to keep her voice steady as she raced up the stairs, pulling Katherine with her.

“I don’t know if I want to go…” Katherine said.

“I understand, it’s hard to leave what you know behind. But she said we’ll be together. That means we have each other and we won’t be alone. You need an adult who can take good care of you, and quite frankly, I do too.”

Saying goodbye was much less emotional for Katherine than she thought it would be. It was only when they got in the car that the tears fell.

“What if they’re not nice?”

“I’m sure they’re going to be very nice. Besides, if they’re not, I’ll protect you.” Anne flashed her a small grin.

“But I don’t want them to hurt you, Annie.”

“Don’t you worry about me, Kitty Kat,” she replied.

In about twenty minutes, they arrived.

“Hi, I’m Evelyn and this is Charles. We hope to give you a nurturing, stable environment. We can show you to your rooms if you’d like.”

“It’s very nice to meet you. We’d love that,” Anne said, locking eyes with the social worker who gave her a small nod.

“Right. Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be back in a week to check on how things are going, so bye for now. Good luck, girls.”

“Thank you.”

Once she was back in her car, the couple shut the door and turned to face their newest guests.

“You’ll each have your own room, we figured you might want your privacy. Right this way. We’ll give you two a chance to get settled in and you can come eat with us when supper is ready. Is pasta okay?”

Anne managed to smile. “Thank you for taking us in. Pasta sounds lovely, we really appreciate it.”

“It’s really not a problem, sweetheart. We’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

With that, the cousins were left to their own devices.

“Here, let’s unpack your things first. Then we can work on mine.”

“Okay.”

They headed to the room that was supposed to be for katherine.

“They seem nice,” Katherine whispered.

“I’m sure they are, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.” Anne was a little weary, sure. She was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt though, and there was no way she’d let her fear show to Katherine. She was going to be the girl’s one constant, which is something she really needs. Everything was going to be fine.  
Dinner time came and went. The food was good and Charles and Evelyn were friendly. Before they knew it, it was bedtime.

“Annie? Can I sleep next to you tonight?”

“Yeah, come here.”

“Can you… sing for me please?

“Of course Kit Kat.”

She cleared her throat before beginning.

_“Au clair de la lune, mon ami Pierrot  
Prête moi ta plume pour écrire un mot.  
Ma chandelle est morte, je n’ai plus de feu.  
Ouvre moi ta porte, pour l’amour de dieu._

_Au clair de la lune, Pierrot repondit:  
« Je n’ai pas de plume, je suis dans mon lit.  
Va chez la voisine, je crois qu’elle y est,  
Car dans la cuisine, on bat le briquet. »_

_Au clair de la lune, s’en fut Arlequin  
Frapper chez la brune, elle répond soudain:  
« Qui frappe de la sorte? » Il dit à son tour:  
« Ouvrez votre porte, pour le Dieu d’Amour! »_

_Au clair de la lune, on n’y voit qu’un peu.  
On chercha la plume, on chercha du feu.  
En cherchant d’la sorte, je n’sais c’qu’on trouva.  
Mais je sais qu’la porte sur eux se ferma.”_

“Goodnight, Kitty,” Anne whispered, lying down and pulling the young girl close to her chest. She kissed the top of Katherine’s head before drifting off into a dreamless slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very short chapter but the next one is much longer, I promise. I just want to thank those who have shown me support thus far, it means more than you know. I was hesitant to start publishing here at first because I deemed my writing too amateur for this site, so thank you for commenting nice things! ❤️


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Katherine have finally found a stable home. But what happens when Anne’s boyfriend pops over for a surprise visit?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! This chapter takes place two years after the previous one. You’ll also get to meet the other queens! 
> 
> This chapter is a wild one, so buckle up.
> 
> Oh and by the way, these are their ages:  
> Catalina (Aragon)- seventeen  
> Anne (Boleyn)- sixteen  
> Jane- seventeen  
> Anna (Cleves)- fourteen  
> Katherine (Howard)- twelve  
> Cathy (Parr)- sixteen
> 
> Trigger Warnings: sexual assault (if there’s anything else, don’t hesitate to tell me)

Katherine jumped as she heard a knock on the door. No one was supposed to be home; Anne was working and her foster parents were out running errands. They wouldn’t be back until much later. She looked through the peephole before opening the door. It was Anne’s boyfriend, Henry.

“Henry? What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Anne. Can I come in?”

“Anne isn’t here, she’s at work. I thought you knew?”

“Oh. No, she hadn’t told me. I wanted to surprise her. I guess I’ll be on my way now.”

“Wait, you don’t have to go. Her shift is almost over, you can just wait here. Would you like something to drink while you wait? We have tea.”

“Sure, why not. Tea sounds lovely.”

Katherine busied herself with making the tea and was done in a few minutes. She walked back into the living room with a steaming cup of it and handed it to Henry.

“You didn’t want any?”

“No, I’m not really in the mood right now.”

“You know, you look really beautiful today,” he grinned.

“Uh... thanks?”

She wasn’t sure what to say. _Maybe he’s just being nice,_ she thought to herself. But there was that nagging voice in the back of her mind that was telling her that his intentions may not be entirely pure. _Well I can’t just kick him out, he came to see Anne and I already invited him in. I don’t want to be rude._

“Why don’t we go upstairs?”

“I don’t think that’s such a good-”

“I said, why don’t we go upstairs?” His previously friendly tone became more menacing.

“O-okay.”

“Bring me to your room.”

She stumbled slightly on the steps as she rushed to her room, Henry trailing behind her. By the time Katherine turned around, she saw Henry closing the door behind him with a wicked grin on his face.

“Now Kitten, I want you to lay down on your bed for me.”

“And what if I don’t?” she challenged, her voice shaky.

“You don’t want to know.”

She did as she was told with tears in her eyes. He took off his belt and looped it around her hands and the bedpost, restricting her movements.

“If you resist or tell anyone what happened, I’ll make sure you never get a moment of peace. And what if your beloved cousin goes missing? We wouldn’t want that to happen now, would we?”

“N-no we wouldn’t.”

“Are you going to resist?”

“No.”

“Good.” He flashed a smile again.

She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed he would be fast. It hurt. He was rough. She shook with silent sobs as he groped and grabbed her in places she didn’t ever want to be touched. Finally, after what felt like hours, it was over. He undid the belt around her hands and put it back on as if nothing had happened.

“I suggest you get cleaned up,” was all he said before exiting the room. Just then, she heard the door open.

“Kitty, I’m home!” Anne shouted from downstairs. “Henry? What are you doing here?”

“I came to surprise you but I didn’t know you were working. Katherine has been keeping me company. I think she went to the bathroom.”

“Oh! Lovely surprise, but I’m kind of tired. I worked a double shift today. I’m really sorry, but can we take a rain check?” She gave him a quick kiss.

“Of course Anne, don’t worry. Rest up, I’ll see you soon.”

“Bye Henry,” she smiled right before closing the door.

“Kit, where are you?”

No reply.

“Kat?”

Still nothing. The house was completely silent.

“Katherine?” she tried, walking up the stairs.

Still no answer. Getting increasingly worried, she knocked on the younger girl’s door.

“Hey Kitty, can I come in?”

She barely heard the answer, I was whispered so low, but she still pushed open the door, ever so gently. She was met with a sight that made her eyes water.

On the bed, there sat Katherine Howard, tear-stained and shaking, wrapped up in a blanket.

“Oh Kitty, what happened to you?”

The younger girl just shook her head and let out a sob. Anne approached her cautiously, not entirely sure what to do.

“Can you take the blanket off for me?”

She received a violent shake of Kit’s head in return.

“Okay... do you think you can stand?”

Another head shake.

“Can I come closer?”

This time, Katherine nodded.

“Is it okay if I hug you?”

Another nod. Anne sat next to her on the bed and slowly wrapped her in a gentle hug. The younger girl stiffened up at first, but managed to relax in her older cousin’s arms. Anne wasn’t stupid; she put two and two together and realized what had most likely happened.

“You don’t need to talk, but if you want to, I’ll listen, and I won’t judge. I promise.”

“But I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“He said he was going to hurt you.”

“Don’t worry about that right now, love. I’ll get it sorted out.”

“Okay,” Katherine took a shaky breath.

“He knocked on the door and said that he came to surprise you. I told him you were working but I invited him in to wait for you. I fixed him some tea and when I brought it to him, he told me I was beautiful. And then he- he told me to go up to my room and he closed the door and tied me to the bed with his belt. It hurts, Annie. It hurts so much,” she whispered. “He told me that if I’d say anything or if I’d resist you’d disappear and he’d make my life a living hell. He can’t know that you know. Please.”

“That bastard is going to pay for what he’s done to you. But that’ll have to wait. Right now, I need to take you to the hospital. We need to make sure he didn’t cause any lasting physical harm. Do you need me to help you get your pants on?”

She shook her head slowly, barely any energy left in her.

“All right. I can leave the room if you need.”

“Just turn around please.”

Anne did as she was told. After a few minutes, she was given the okay to turn around again. Katherine had managed to get a pair of sweatpants on and was clearly worn out from that simple task.

“Do you think you can stand on your own?”

“I-I don’t know.”

Katherine tried to stand, but collapsed almost immediately.

“Here let me help you,” Anne said upon catching her.

“You know what? I’m going to call an ambulance. I think it’s better that way.”

Anne chose to ignore the blood on the sheets or the pained look in the twelve-year-old’s eyes as she dialled 999 and calmly explained the situation.

“They’ll be here soon. Just hang tight.”

“But I’m so tired,” she mumbled.

“You can sleep, just not right now. Can you wait a little for me?”

“I can try.”

Anne couldn’t stop pacing. She was in the waiting room of the hospital, hoping, praying that Henry hadn’t hurt her too badly. She made sure to get in contact with the police right away and had filled out all the necessary paperwork. They had arrested him and were sending him to jail with no trial needed after getting Katherine’s account on what happened. The state she was in was enough evidence. Apparently, he had already been accused of other charges of this nature. Unfortunately, it most likely wouldn’t be a very long stay. In all her worry, she didn’t notice she was walking right into someone until it was too late.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I was in my own world, I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

“No worries, it’s partly my fault too. I’m Catherine but I go by Cathy. This is Catalina but she sometimes goes by ‘Lina and that’s Anna,” the girl said, pointing at the two other people she was with.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Anne.”

“Forgive me for asking, if you don’t mind but... what are you here for?”

“Uh... someone... hurt my cousin and I’m just waiting to see if she’s okay. I mean, she’s not dying or anything if you thought that’s what I meant but she was still hurt pretty badly,” Anne said, unable to stop her rambling. “How about you guys?”

“I’m sorry to hear, I hope she'll be okay. As for us, well, our friend Jane is giving birth. She dated this guy for a while but when he found out she was pregnant he just left her. What was his name- Henry Tudor? What an asshole.”

“I’m sorry- did you say Henry Tudor?”

“Um... yes?”

“On top of all this, that little shit cheated on me. I hope he rots in jail,” she muttered under her breath.

“In jail?!” Catalina exclaimed.

Before she could answer, the doctor walked in.

“Anne Boleyn? I have news on your cousin. If you could follow me, please.”

“Sorry, that’s my cue. Really nice meeting you all. Congratulations to your friend.”

“Thanks,” Anna smiled. “I hope your cousin will get better soon.”

“So doctor, how is she doing?”

“Well, she’s doing well considering what happened. She’s starting to regain her strength and should be back to walking by tomorrow, the latest. She was bleeding so it may hurt for a little while but besides that, she’s well on her way to recovery. Oh, and she was asking for you,” the doctor said as they walked down the hallway, finally stopping at a door and pushed it open, letting her through.

“Hey Kitty Kat, how are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling much better. They gave me some pain medication and it still hurts a little bit, but not as much thanks to you. Thank you for believing me.”

“Oh Kitty, why wouldn’t I believe you?”

“For starters, my father never did,” she muttered. “And what happened with Henry?”

“He’s going to jail. I don’t know for how long though,” Anne replied. “Now, why don’t you rest up a bit and I’ll call Charles and Evelyn to explain the situation and why we might not be home for a while.”

“Okay. I love you, Annie.”

“I love you too, Kit.”

She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding when she left the room. She wasn’t sure how their foster parents would react, but they were quite nice people in general.

“Hey Evelyn, hey Charles. I don’t think we’ll be coming home tonight. Kitty’s in the hospital, but don’t worry, she’s fine. I don’t want to say more because it’s up to her if she wants to tell you what happened. I’m going to stay the night with her. I just thought I’d let you know so you didn’t have to worry.”

“Alright, honey. Call us if you get any other news.”

“Okay, bye.”

Anne hung up with a sigh. They were nice and took care of them, but they didn’t really care much. She made her way back to the waiting room only to find Cathy, Anna, and ‘Lina still there.

“Hey, how’s your cousin doing?” Cathy said.

“She’s holding up surprisingly well. She’s strong,” Anne replied. “How’s Jane doing?”

“We haven’t heard anything yet, but I really hope it’s going okay.”

The next day, Katherine was being discharged. She could walk fine again, though it hurt a little bit. As they passed by the waning room, Anne waved goodbye to Cathy, Anna and ‘Lina.

“Who are you waving at?” Katherine questioned, following her gaze.

“Oh, just some friends I made,” she replied nonchalantly.

“Wait... that girl looks familiar,” Katherine said, gesturing toward Anna. “I feel like I know her from somewhere.”

Her question didn’t need to go unanswered because the small group made their way to where they were standing.

“I’m assuming you’re Anne’s cousin, how are you feeling?” Cathy smiled.

Katherine looked at her cousin with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell them what happened,” Anne whispered.

“Uh... yeah, I’m Katherine. I’m feeling much better, thanks for asking.”

Her eyes were still trained on a particular girl.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know your names.”

“Oh! My bad. I’m Cathy, this is Anna, and that’s ‘Lina.”

“Anna? Um, I’m sorry but you look incredibly familiar- what’s your last name?”

“Cleves, why?”

“If you are who I think you are, you may not remember me but... I’m Katherine Howard.”

“Katherine? It’s you?” Anna exclaimed in shock, with a wide smile on her face.

“Yeah, it’s me,” she smiled, engulfing the older girl in a hug.

“Before you came to live with us, Anna was a really good friend of mine. She had moved from Germany to here and we were super close, but then she moved again,” Katherine explained upon seeing Anne’s confused expression.

“Nice,” Anne smiled before her expression turned serious again. “Kitty, I’m sorry to cut this short but we really have to go. We can exchange phone numbers to keep in touch,” she suggested. The others happily agreed and did so before bidding a final goodbye.

“Katherine! Are you okay?” Exclaimed Evelyn upon their arrival.

“I… yeah, I’m fine.”

“Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“Um… I’d rather not if that’s okay with you.”

“Of course honey. Don’t worry about it.”

Katherine spent the next week or two sleeping in Anne’s room. On the first few nights, she would wake up screaming for help, waking everyone else up as well. She’d always end up next to Anne by morning. She hated being a burden, but Anne insisted that wasn’t the case. All that changed when they went down for breakfast around two weeks later.

“Katherine, sweetheart, we’ve been thinking,” started Charles. “It would probably be best if we found you another home, maybe with someone who can help you with your nightmares better than us.”

“So what, you're just going to send her away? What about me?” said Anne, trying hard not to raise her voice.

“Oh, you can stay with us. Don’t worry.”

“Excuse me? You just expect me to leave my cousin alone with random strangers? She can’t control these nightmares. If you want her to go, I’m leaving too.”

“Okay.” He sounded indifferent.

“I’m sorry for any inconveniences I’ve caused you. When do we leave?” Kit said in a small voice.

“We already called the social worker. Pack up, you’re leaving tomorrow,” Evelyn said, stone-faced and stoic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... yeah. That happened. I’m sorry... 
> 
> Also, I’m well aware that the justice system doesn’t exactly work this way but I just want Kitty to feel a little bit reassured, okay? And I hope I didn’t offend anyone by writing about such a sensitive topic, the same goes for the rest of the story.
> 
> I want your opinion on what to do for the next chapter: heavy angst with another time jump or fluff between the six queens + Jane’s baby?
> 
> Thank you for your kudos and comments and I hope you’re all staying safe during this time ❤️


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Katherine get a chance to chat with their new friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WoOoOoO writer’s block is a pain!  
> Hence the short chapter.
> 
> This is a sort of filler chapter before another massive time jump. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Trigger warnings: none that I can think of

Girls, these are your new foster parents, Edgar and Avery. I hope all goes well with them. Both girls waved shyly as the adults in front of them flashed a welcoming grin.

 _They seem nice enough,_ thought Anne. But she knew better than most not to judge people on first impressions. She squeezed Katherine’s hand a little tighter in what was meant to be a reassuring gesture, but in reality was for her own benefit as well.

“Well, don’t you two look lovely? I hope we can give you a nice loving home,” Avery smiled.

“Thanks.”

“Hello? Hi Cathy! What’s up? … Sure, I’ll ask Kit. Hey, Kitty? Do you want to go out with Cathy and the others?”

“Yeah, that sounds great!” Katherine perked up at the chance of reconnecting with her former best friend.

“Alright, see you then.” Anne hung up with a smile. “Are you up to meeting them at a restaurant?”

“Of course!”

“Perfect! We have to be ready by seven.”

Anne and Katherine have been with the new foster family for about three weeks. Things were going well so far and they managed to keep in touch with Cathy, ‘Lina, Anna and Jane, and they were on their way to becoming friends. Unfortunately, so much had been going on lately and they hadn’t had much of a chance to properly meet up again. Anne hoped their new foster parents would be okay with them going out for the night.

“Hey Uh… is it okay if Katherine and I go out? There are some friends we want to see, we’re just going to a restaurant not too far from here.”

“Sure. Just be back before ten.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“Come on Kitty! We have to go!”

“Alright, calm down. I’m coming.”

The girls made their way to the restaurant and arrived a little bit early. They found a seat and waited. Soon, four figures started walking toward them. Anne waved them over enthusiastically.

“Hi girls!”

“Hi Anne, hi Katherine! How have you been?”

“We’ve been good, how about you guys? You must be Jane, congratulations on having your baby. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Anne smiled.

“You too,” Jane replied. “I convinced my mum to take care of Edward for the night so I could properly meet you two. I’ve heard nice things.”

They spent a few hours chatting. Anna and Katherine were elated to have reconnected and spent almost the entire time wrapped up in a conversation of their own, talking about what they had been up to those past six years. Katherine never had many friends throughout her childhood so seeing Anna again was nice.

“That was fun, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really was. It was nice to get my mind off things for a little bit too,” Katherine replied on their walk home.

“I’m glad, Kitty Kat,” Anne grinned, ruffling Katherine’s hair. Upon noticing her cousin’s worried expression, she linked their hands together. Katherine turned toward her, confusion clear in her features.

“For protection,” Anne explained. That made Kat smile and she squeezed Anne’s hand gratefully.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Anytime, Kitty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry it took so long to update this story and that it’s such a small chapter but I have no inspiration whatsoever and I wanted to put a little bit of (Badly written) fluff before it all went to shit again.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who leaves comments and kudos, they really make my day 💜 
> 
> oH YES and one more thing: should I do a fun lil birthday chapter? It’ll probably be short and include my terrible attempt at making things funny, but it should be cute! Anyways, comment your opinion!
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoyed and I hope everyone is staying safe. Wash your hands! :)


	5. She can’t help it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s three days until Anne’s birthday. She and Kitty just need to figure out how they can last that long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it’s been... five months. How’s everyone doing? I’m so sorry this chapter took the amount of time it took but I SWEAR it wasn’t on purpose. I had the whole chapter written out and everything but it was slightly inaccurate and altering it in any way shape or form would mean completely rewriting the chapter. So yeah there my bullshit excuse I guess lmao
> 
> So uh... yeah, there are some inaccuracies but I hope you all enjoy! 
> 
> Trigger warnings: (not very graphic) depictions of physical abuse, mentions of physical abuse

The new foster family was nice. At first. When they were sure the visits from the social worker stopped, they were both physically and emotionally abusive. It started off as a slap here and there when they’d misbehave. Quickly, one or two slaps every now and again escalated. Katherine’s nightmares only got worse and her waking up screaming in the middle of the night did nothing in their favour. Anne did her best to protect her younger cousin, and as a result, received the brunt of the hits. It was torture, but better her than Katherine.

“Stop hurting her! She can’t help the nightmares! Please!” Anne pleaded desperately.

“We’re _trying_ to fix her!”

“No, you’re only making it worse. She doesn’t need to be _fixed_ , she needs to be _helped_. And you aren’t doing a very good job at that,” she spat.

“That does it!”

Katherine watched in horror as they beat her cousin nearly unconscious, unable to make a sound. Anne’s desperate pleas and sobs filled the room but she didn’t dare move. After what seemed like forever, the older man was finally done.

“I’m going out. Not a word of this to _anyone_ , understand?”

Katherine mustered a quick nod and waited with bated breath until she heard the front door click shut. Immediately, she was at her cousin’s side.

“Annie! I’m so sorry they did this to you, it’s all my fault,” she cried.

“Did they hurt you?” Anne’s voice was hoarse and barely above a whisper. That sentence alone seemed to take a lot of energy and Katherine almost broke down. But she had to be strong.

“No, no, they didn’t hurt me. But don’t worry about me right now. You’re hurt. I’m going to call an ambulance, okay?”

“Okay,“ she mumbled, starting to close her eyes.

“Annie, I need you to stay awake for me. Please. Don’t fall asleep.”

“I’ll try…”

“Stay with me Anne,” she whispered with tears in her eyes.

At the hospital, she was whisked away and examined for any cuts or bruises. She was relatively unscathed, so she was sent to the waiting room. A doctor would tell her when she could see Anne.

Just then, her phone rang. She barely looked at the caller ID before answering.

“Katherine Howard! Why did I just get a call saying that you were at the hospital?”

“We didn’t tell them anything, I swear! It’s just that Anne was hurt really bad. You can come see for yourself. Please don’t hurt us,” she whispered.

“You’re lucky your cousin is turning eighteen in a few days,” he spat before hanging up.

”Fancy seeing you here,” said a friendly voice behind Katherine.

She must’ve jumped ten feet into the air before realizing it was only Cathy.

“Oh! Sorry, you just startled me. Hi Cathy. What brings you here?”

“Anna might’ve twisted her ankle playing soccer, she’s getting that checked out right now,” she said. “You?” she added hesitantly.

“Uh, Anne got hurt real bad,” she whispered.

Cathy nodded, knowing she wasn’t going to get much more from the younger girl.

“How have you guys been?”

“We’ve been pretty good, besides whatever happened to Anna’s ankle, I mean.” She laughed slightly. “Does what happened to Anne… have to do with your foster parents?” she questioned gently after a moment’s hesitation. Right after the words left her mouth, she knew it was the wrong thing to say. Sometimes, Cathy’s curiosity got the better of her. She really needed to learn to think before she speaks.

“No. No it wasn’t. She just slipped and took a pretty bad tumble down the stairs. That’s all. Just Anne being her usual clumsy self.”

Katherine went straight to the defensive, speaking too quickly. That only confirmed Cathy’s suspicions.

“Okay.”

An awkward silence filled the air between them before Katherine finally spoke up.

“Hey, Cathy? Can you help me with something? I mean, if you’re busy, I understand. I don’t want to bother you or anything but-”

“What is it, Katherine? You’re no bother, don’t worry,” Cathy chuckled, effectively cutting off her rambling.

“Well… Anne’s eighteenth birthday is coming up and I wanted to do something special for her. She hasn’t had a proper birthday celebration in _at least_ six years. I was thinking… maybe you guys can help me? And come, of course. You, ‘Lina, Anna, Jane and Edward.”

“Of course! That sounds like a great idea! Anna’s a little… incapacitated at the moment, but I’m sure we can all manage to pitch in somehow. When’s her birthday? Anne never mentioned it.”

“Yeah… we both don’t really like to talk about it, our foster families didn’t really care about us and if we ever brought up our birthday, we’d get in trouble. And… it’s in three days.” She bit her lip in worry, hoping Cathy wouldn’t be angry that she was asking on such short notice. Instead, the older girl just smiled.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Cathy! I got your text! Is Anna okay? Jane said she’ll try to come but it’s unlikely because she’s with Edward— oh hi, Kitty. Kitty?!”

“Hi, ‘Lina.”

“‘Lina, I told you Anna was going to be fine. You didn’t have to come. And nor does Jane.”

“Yeah, well I wanted to be here for my friend. Anyways, what brings you here?” she said, turning her attention back to Katherine.

“Oh, Anne just fell down the stairs and got hurt pretty bad. I’m waiting to see if she’s going to be okay. And… I have a favour to ask of you. So Anne’s birthday is in three days and I want to surprise her with something small but special. Nothing big, but I do need help setting it up and all. Our foster parents are very… strict. Would you be willing to help?”

“For sure! I’ll text Jane right now!”

Just then, Anna entered the waiting room.

“I’m alright! Just twisted my ankle so the doctor told me to take it easy and gave me these crutches,” she said, gesturing to the supports under her arms. “Oh! Hi Kitty! What’s up?”

“Anne got hurt.” She refused to elaborate any further, not wanting to think about it too much.

“We're glad you’re okay, but there’s something we need your help with.” Cathy nudged Katherine with her elbow.

She sighed, not wanting to have to explain herself a third time. “I want to throw Anne a small party in three days, can you help?”

“Yes! Oh my gosh this is going to be so much fun! I’m so excited! Let’s start planning now!”

“Whoa, Anna, calm down. Sit down a sec. Jane will be here any minute; I texted her. While you’re waiting, we can help you plan. It’s not like we’ve got anything else to do,” Lina said.

Katherine smiled in return, welcoming the distraction. They chatted for a bit before Jane arrived, carrying a red-faced Edward who looked like he had been crying right before they walked in the building. His face lit up when he saw everyone else and they all laughed.

“So what’s this I hear about a party, love?”

“Well, I was thinking…”

Katherine went in to explain her vision in great detail. Before she knew it, a doctor called her name, saying her cousin was ready to see her.

“You guys can wait here if you want. I can ask her if she wants to see you.”

“Yeah, that would be lovely.”

Katherine got up and made her way to where the doctor was standing, hoping her cousin was okay but fearing the worst.

“Good news, she will make a full recovery. Fortunately, nothing was too damaged. Unfortunately, she has a minor concussion and bruised ribs and those might take a few weeks to heal. We have prescribed her some pain medication and suggest she place a cold compress over the affected area. Besides that, she will just have to wait until it heals on its own.”

“Thank you. Do you think I can see her?”

“Sure. Right this way.”

She followed him down a long hallway before finally stopping at a room no different from the others. Pushing the door open, he peeked in.

“Anne, your cousin is here. Would you like to see her?”

“Is that even a question? Where is she?”

“Is that… a yes?”

“Yes! Bring her in!”

“All yours. Don’t make too much noise.”

Katherine smiled in thanks before walking into the room. As soon as she caught sight of her cousin, she threw herself in Anne’s arms.

“Kitty, watch the ribs,” she wheezed.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry! I thought you weren’t going to make it, you really scared me.”

“Oh come on Kit Kat, it wasn’t that bad. Don't mind me. Are you okay?”

“Annie, you were practically beaten within an inch of your life, take care of yourself for a second. I’m fine, thanks to you. I’m so sorry, I feel like it’s my fault. If I didn’t get nightmares, they wouldn’t hit you.”

“Hey, hey. Look at me. It’s not your fault, it’ll never be your fault. You’re only human.” She gently wiped Katherine’s tears away with her thumb. “Besides, only three more days and I can get out of that place. I’ve done my research on how to gain custody of you and it shouldn’t take very long. You just need to hold on a little longer.”

“I can’t thank you enough for protecting me. I really, truly appreciate it. But… on a happier note, I ran into Cathy because Anna twisted her ankle- I know that isn’t very happy news- but they want to come see you. Jane, Edward and ‘Lina are here too. I told them you took a bad fall down the stairs, just so you know.”

“It’s been a little while, I’d love to see them!”

“Alright, I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, Katherine returned with the group of five.

“Oh my goodness Anne! That was quite a fall there.” It’s obvious Cathy wasn’t buying the excuse. She was too smart for her own good. And, well, it was kind of obvious that was a lie.

“Yeah… I should really learn to be more careful. So it’s been a while, how’ve you guys been?”

“Pretty good, same as usual. You?”

“I’ve been good”, she replied, perhaps a little too quickly.

“Ahem. I’m sorry to interrupt but visiting hours are over.”

“Can I stay the night?”

“Seeing as you are family, I don’t see why not. The rest of you will have to leave though.”

They said their goodbyes with a promise to see each other soon.

“I’m so happy you’re okay. I’ll let you rest now,” Katherine whispered, kissing Anne on the cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter was worth the wait! It probably wasn’t lol but that’s okay
> 
> I’m not quite sure how the foster system works in the UK but according to Canadian laws and stuff, this isn’t quite how it goes, so my apologies for any inaccuracies. I did my best in terms of research but I couldn’t really find anything.
> 
> Anyways, the next chapter will be pretty fluffy (or as much as it can be I suppose) because Anne’s birthday is coming up! (That chapter isn’t actually anywhere near completed but whatever)
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated, and you can find me on tumblr as @wise-girl-everdeen (and @wisegirlwrites) 💜💜


	6. Birthdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Anne’s birthday and Katherine has something special planned for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said I would post like over a week ago but life never works out the way I want it to and also I’m a chronic procrastinator and extremely lazy. So... sorry :/
> 
> But anyways, here I am with a fluffier chapter!! The next one will be much, much darker so.... be warned, I guess. I hope you guys enjoy!!
> 
> Trigger warnings: mention of injury

“Annie! Wake up!” Katherine whispered.

“Mmph… let me sleep.”

“No, I will not let you sleep. Get up; it’s your birthday.”

“Oh yeah. But I still want to sleep.”

“Just- get dressed and come with me. I want to show you something. You’re being a pain.”

“Oh, I’m being a pain? Excuse me, but who’s the one waking me up this early?”

“It’s 10 o’clock!”

“My point exactly.”

“Please, Annie?” Katherine said, giving her puppy eyes.

“Not the eyes,” Anne groaned.

Kat stuck out her bottom lip.

“And the lip! Fine, I’m getting out of bed.”

Katherine jumped up and skipped out of the room happily. Within a few moments, Anne was ready and slowly made her way downstairs.

“Happy birthday Annie!”

“Where are Edgar and Avery?”

“They left a note saying that they’d be back by around ten o’clock tonight and that all your stuff had to be gone by then… but ten o’clock is in a long time! For now, let’s enjoy your birthday. Come on!”

Katherine grabbed Anne’s hand and dragged her out the door.

“Uh… Kitty Kat? Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” she replied cheekily.

She noticed Katherine was bringing her to the park nearby.

“Why are you bringing me here?”

“Stop asking questions, just follow me,” Katherine laughed.

They made their way through the park until they reached a small area surrounded by trees. In front of them, a picnic was set up with no one in sight.

“What is all this?”

“Surprise!” six voices shouted in unison, jumping out from behind the trees.

“Happy birthday, Annie.”

“Oh Kitty, when did you have time for this?”

“Well, I needed some help,” she admitted. “I wanted to do something nice for you and then I ran into Cathy at the hospital and they all agreed to help me, so we came up with this.”

“It was all Kitty’s idea, really,” said Jane.

“Happy birthday Annie!” shouted Edward, making everyone smile.

“You guys… I can’t thank you enough. Seriously, this is the best thing I’ve ever seen.”

The group moved in for a hug, mindful of her still-present injuries.

“You deserve it, Anne,” Cathy smiled.

“Now, who’s hungry? Let’s eat!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so... it was even shorter than I had imagined but I guess it’s cute?
> 
> Also, when I first started writing this out, I didn’t ship any of the queens. I still don’t for the most part, but how would y’all feel about some parrlynn (kinda in the background)?
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed it and let me know what you think, comments and kudos always make my day!! 💜💜
> 
> (Also: if y’all want to find me on tumblr, I’m @wise-girl-everdeen)


	7. I've Got Something to Tell You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Annie? There’s something I have to tell you.”
> 
> “What is it, Kit Kat? You can tell me anything.”
> 
> “Not this. You’re going to hate me for this.”
> 
> “I could never hate you, you know that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first off, I'm so sorry this took so long to get out...
> 
> second, I know I said this chapter will be super angsty, but since the comments seemed to be screaming for parrlynn, I decided to include this. I hope it doesn't seem unnatural, I wrote it a little while back when I wasn't as much of a flaming homosexual as I am now lmao
> 
> third, I'm running out of pre-written chapters to refine, so expect updates to take even less time. I've sort of fallen out of the fandom is that wasn't already obvious and It's been a bit of a struggle to get things out here. but if you'd like, you can find me in a few other fandoms!
> 
> okay, ill stop blabbing for now, I hope you enjoy!

It had been a little while since Katherine and Anne had been living on their own. Everything went relatively smoothly and Anne presented a solid case. It probably helped that the foster parents strongly encouraged it. For once, Anne felt that they had done something right.

That particular afternoon, Anne was busying herself with a book when Katherine walked up to her. She was picking at her sleeve and shuffled her feet nervously.

“Annie? There’s something I have to tell you.”

“What is it, Kit Kat? You can tell me anything.”

“Not this. You’re going to hate me for this.”

“I could never hate you, you know that.”

“Well, that might change now,” spat a tearful Katherine.

“Come here.” Anne gestured to the spot next to her on the couch. Once Katherine sat down, she wrapped her in a hug. Anne was starting to get nervous. She knew she’d never hate her baby cousin, but what if something happened? “Now, what happened?”

“Nothing happened, I just- I don’t want you to think any differently of me. I might as well get it over with… so I’ve been doing a lot of research lately and I’m pretty sure I’m lesbian but I’m also asexual. I don't want you to think I'm a loveless monster, and I'm sorry I like girls, I just can't help it.” She said all that so fast and immediately burst into tears right after.

Anne almost missed what she said. Her heart broke realizing how much pain it must’ve caused Katherine to work up the nerve to tell her. Instead of pushing her cousin away, Anne only pulled her closer.

“How long have you felt this way?” Her voice was soft and understanding, not at all what Katherine would have thought.

“I don't know, I guess it was a gradual thing…”

“Oh, there’s nothing wrong with you; you’re not loveless. And it’s very normal, don’t worry. It’s not bad, it’s not wrong. I don’t hate you, I never will.”

“Never?”

“Never. And if it makes you feel any better, I happen to like girls too. I know how hard it is to come to terms with your sexuality, especially considering the environment we grew up in. just know that I’m always going to be here for you, okay? And… while we’re on the topic, I have my own confession to make. I’m… bi. Bisexual. I’ve had trouble coming to terms with my sexuality considering we haven’t been surrounded by the most supportive people but… I’m ready to accept myself for who I am, no matter what other people think. Are you… okay with that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? You’re still the same person I know and love, who you’re attracted to will not change a thing.” She snuggled into Anne’s side and broke into a wide grin. “Besides, I think I know who you like.”

“You do?” Anne wasn’t sure how to react.

“Yup,” Katherine replied, popping the ‘p’.

“Okay then, who is it?”

“You like Cathy, it’s so obvious! Don’t think I can’t see you making heart eyes at her.”

Anne groaned. “Is it really that obvious?”

“Mhmm. Everyone knows but Cathy herself.”

“Fucking shit. How do I tell her? It’s not like I can just walk up to her and go ‘hey Cathy, you’re really hot, let’s go out’ can I?”

“Well not with that attitude, you can’t. Leave everything to me. Operation: Parrlyn is a go?”

“Parrlyn?”

“It’s your ship name. You know, Parr and Boleyn mashed together.”

“Uh-huh. Weirdo.”

“Hey! I didn’t come up with it, it was Anna!”

“So everyone’s in on this?”

“Pretty much, yeah. I’m gonna help you get your dream girl!”

Anne rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Kit Kat,” she said, pushing Katherine off the couch playfully.

Kat just stuck out her tongue and laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways so that was that. let me know what you thought! and I will now be taking requests for some domestic six fluff lmao
> 
> you can find me on Tumblr @wise-girl-everdeen and my asks are always open for requests and/or prompts!


	8. Not Again...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, hi Thomas! Come on in!”
> 
> “So what brings you here?”
> 
> “Oh, I had a few errands to run around here and thought, ‘why not pop in?’ I hope I’m not bothering you.”
> 
> “No, not at all. I was just doing some homework, but I’m almost finished and I have the rest of the weekend to do it so it’s no big deal. Anyways, how have you been?”
> 
> “I’ve been pretty good, you?”
> 
> “Oh, I've been doing well, thank you.”
> 
> “I was wondering, is Anne home?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so... here it is.
> 
> the chapter I may or may not have been accidentally hyping up too much?
> 
> but uh
> 
> it's probably the last bit of *new* angst for a while (like, nothing particularly new will happen to them.)
> 
> so uh... as morbid as this sounds, I hope you enjoy! and don't hate me too much? it's a delicate subject that I'm never sure how to approach. anyways.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: sexual assault

Things were slowly getting better. Katherine had come out of her shell a lot more and she was doing considerably well within the circumstances. Anne was feeling slightly better as well, albeit stressed a little. A few weeks in, Anne had met a man where she worked who introduced himself as Thomas Culpeper. Through some light digging, Anne found out that Thomas Culpeper was the girls’ distant cousin. They got to talking more and even Katherine managed to warm up to him quite a bit. He shared a mutual love for history with Katherine and enjoyed political debates with Anne. They had both grown to love the twenty-year-old and he could often be found enjoying a cup of tea in their home.

“Oh, hi Thomas! Come on in!”

“So what brings you here?”

“Oh, I had a few errands to run around here and thought, ‘why not pop in?’ I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“No, not at all. I was just doing some homework, but I’m almost finished and I have the rest of the weekend to do it so it’s no big deal. Anyways, how have you been?”

“I’ve been pretty good, you?”

“Oh, I've been doing well, thank you.”

“I was wondering, is Anne home?”

That phrase made her freeze in place, it seemed all too familiar. _Shit_.

“Uh… Thomas, you know what? It’s getting late, I’m quite tired. I think I’m going to go to bed early, sorry for the inconvenience.” She was beginning to get uncomfortable, all too familiar with how things ended the last time a conversation took this turn.

“Oh, nonsense. It’s really not that late. But not to worry, you can go to bed.” He grabbed her behind before she could react.

“Thomas, I really think you should go.”

“Don’t be silly. Come on.” His tone changed as he yanked her to her room and laid her down on the bed as forcibly as he could.

She tried to kick and thrash and scream but to no avail. He was much stronger than her and she didn’t stand a chance. She screamed. She screamed until her throat was raw until sound no longer came out. When she couldn’t move anymore she just lay there, exhausted as his hands roamed freely throughout her body. When he finally removed himself from her, he gave her a kiss on the head and smiled.

“That was fun now, wasn’t it? Let’s do this again sometime.”

She closed her eyes in defeat, unable to answer, just praying he would leave.

It took all of her strength to pick up the phone and dial Anne’s number. It picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Annie.” Her voice came out raspy and weak.

“Kitty? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“Something happened. I’m home. Please hurry,” she whispered weakly.

“I’m on my way. Just hang tight okay?”

Katherine just shut her eyes and prayed for the pain to go away.

Anne rushed home as quickly as she possibly could. She knocked on the door gently.

“Kitty Kat? Are you in there?”

She received a weak whimper in reply.

Opening the door, she was met with Katherine in a fetal position, unmoving

“Not again… oh Kitty, what did he do to you?” She cursed herself for not being home. She just had to be working again. “Okay, I’m going to need to help you get cleaned up and dressed. Can you look at me?”

Katherine raised her eyes to where Anne was standing, panic evident in her expression.

“Look, I know how uncomfortable this can be for you, but it’s me or a bunch of strangers at the hospital. If you want me to stop, I’ll stop. Don’t worry. You’re going to be okay. Okay?”

“Okay.” Her voice was cracked and hoarse.

Anne helped her up and to the bathroom where she cleaned her the best she could. The younger girl remained unresponsive throughout the entire process, only flinching every once in a while when Anne touched a particularly sensitive spot. After all that was over, Anne called 999.

“We’re going to get you to a hospital now.”

Katherine could only manage a nod.

Anne wasn’t sure whether to be furious or devastated. It caused her physical pain to see her cousin like this and she felt dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. This wasn’t the first time it happened to her and she reacted so much worse this time. Her entire body wasn’t responding and she had barely said a word. On the other hand, what kind of sick fuckwad bastard would rape his cousin? She wanted to find him and punch him until he was just a mass of bloody flesh. Even then, it wouldn’t be close to what he deserved for putting Katherine through such trauma.

On their way to the hospital, Anne was allowed to ride with Katherine but they were separated as soon as they got there. She was told it might be a while before Kat was responsive again so she decided to go to the nearest police station.

“I’d like to file an injunction.”

She left the police station feeling much better than when she had arrived. Thomas was not allowed near her or Katherine, ever. By the time she got back to the hospital, she didn’t have to wait long until a doctor called her name.

“We gave her an oral contraceptive that can be taken after intercourse as an extra precaution. Her body and mind underwent extreme shock but she is in stable condition so she should be okay soon. She started talking again which is a good sign. She’s been asking for you, would you like to see her?”

“More than anything, please.”

“In that case, follow me.”

“Hey, Kitty Kat. How are you holding up?”

“I’m… a little better, I think. It doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”

“That’s good, you’re healing.” Anne sat down on a chair next to Katherine’s bed and held her hand.

A few tears slipped down Katherine's face.

“Why me? Why does this keep happening? What did I do to deserve this? Is it something I did, Annie? Please, tell me. I thought… I thought he was different,” she whispered.

“You did absolutely nothing wrong. You are going through what nobody deserves to go through and I wish I could just take all your pain away. You’re the kindest girl I know and you don’t deserve all the bad things that have happened, believe me. Now, try to get some rest. I won’t leave your side unless you want me to.”

“No, please stay,” she whimpered.

Anne started stroking her hair, humming a familiar melody softly that Katherine had told her a while back that her mother would sing to her.

_Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly,_   
_Lavender's green_   
_When you are King, dilly dilly,_   
_I shall be Queen_

_Lavender’s green dilly dilly,_   
_Lavender's blue_   
_You must love me, dilly dilly,_   
_‘Cause I love you._

_Who told you so, dilly dilly,_   
_Who told you so?_   
_’Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,_   
_That told me so_

_Call up your friends, dilly dilly,_   
_Set them to work_   
_Some to the plough, dilly dilly,_   
_Some to the fork_

_Some to the hay, dilly dilly,_   
_Some to thresh corn,_   
_Whilst you and I, dilly dilly,_   
_Keep ourselves warm_

_Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly,_   
_Lavender’s green_   
_When you are King, dilly dilly,_   
_I shall be Queen_

Katherine’s eyes fluttered shut, exhaustion taking over her body and Anne followed soon after, heart heavy for the girl who had gone through so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so.... that was that. I probably made it seem worse than it was, but I hope I handled it properly? don't hesitate to call me out if I didn't and I will immediately fix my mistakes. lmk what you thought and what you'd like to see next in terms of parrlynn just because.... I don't really know where to go with that lol
> 
> but as always, you'll find me on Tumblr @wise-girl-everdeen and @wisegirlwrites ❤️❤️

**Author's Note:**

> I’m well aware that the lullaby goes “Colas mon petit frère” originally but anyone I know has always changed it to fit the person they’re singing to. Thank you for reading, the next chapter should be out soon. ❤️


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